Read Online Lace and Bullets: A Hitman Romance by Marie Carnay - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Marie Carnay
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dangerous memory. Damien fingered the chain around his neck. “You’re in way over your head with this, Mia.”
“Then help me.”
If only it were that simple. “No.”
“Why not? What are you so afraid of?”
Damien rolled his eyes. “Don’t you get it? You’re the one who should be afraid.” He threw the folder on the floor and stormed up to her. His fingers dug into her arms beneath the sheet. “I’m handing you over to the cartel tomorrow. In less than twenty-four hours, you’ll be their property.”
Her brown eyes shimmered and her lips fell open. The truth cut deep. “Why?”
“Because if I don’t, I’m a dead man. If I hand you over, I can make a deal. You’re the only leverage I’ve got.”
“You don’t have to do this. I can help you.”
“Not with this.”
She reached for him, but he held her back. “Talk to me. Tell me why I’m so important. Maybe I can help.”
He let her go and staggered back. “I can’t.”
Her voice turned shrill. “If you’re handing me over, then what does it matter? I deserve to know why. Please, Damien.”
Fuck . He never should have told her his name. Mia Davenport was solidly under his skin. She wormed her way in sometime between trying to escape and letting him come inside her.
He could see the goodness in her. It sparkled like a crown woven through her hair. And he was sending her straight to the devil.
Damien had done some horrible things. After Melanie, whatever the cartel told him to do, he did it. What did it matter? Everything good in the world was gone.
Because of him.
He rubbed a hand over his buzzed hair. He was in so deep, he could never get out. Unless he gave Marcelo something he wanted more. A witness. A hot new piece he could sell to the highest bidder.
Mia was a tool. Nothing more.
He looked her in the eye. “Has there ever been someone you cared about so much that when they were gone, you wanted to die?”
Mia stared at him, the color draining from her cheeks as the seconds ticked by. At last, she answered. “No.”
“Anyone you ever loved more than life itself?”
“No.”
“Not once?” He looked her up and down. A pretty girl like her? No high school sweetheart or college boyfriend? He might have grown up on the streets, but he knew how the rich lived.
Someone out there had to care about this woman sitting in front of him. She was kind and passionate. Determined and full of life.
She shrank down on the bed, all at once so small and vulnerable. “Guess I’ve never mattered much to anyone.”
Shit . He fought down every instinct screaming at him to hold her. “I’m sorry, Mia.”
“I don’t need your pity.” She crossed her arms over the sheet. “You’re a murderer for God sakes.”
“Yeah, I am.”
“If you hand me over, you really think you’ll get whatever it is you’re after?”
“I don’t have a choice. It’s my only option.”
She wiped at her left eye. “You’re even more naïve than I am. If everything you’ve said about the cartel is true, they’ll never give you what you want. You’ll never feel whole.”
Damien clenched his fists. “You’re right, I won’t. But at least I’ll know the truth. I’ll know it wasn’t my fault.” He turned to the dresser and grabbed her clothes. They landed on the bed with a soft thud. “Get dressed. I’ve got to meet someone.”
“What are you doing with me?”
“Making sure you don’t leave.”
----
D amien strode out of the house and pulled his hood over his head. Meeting with JJ was a major risk. One that could get him killed. But he needed to know what he’d be walking into the next night.
Mia’s words kept repeating inside his head. If he handed her over, would Marcelo give him what he wanted? Would he tell him the truth and let him walk away?
He thought about her gentle touch. The way she curled up against his chest in the night like she needed him. It had been years since he’d held someone else like that.
Those nights
“Then help me.”
If only it were that simple. “No.”
“Why not? What are you so afraid of?”
Damien rolled his eyes. “Don’t you get it? You’re the one who should be afraid.” He threw the folder on the floor and stormed up to her. His fingers dug into her arms beneath the sheet. “I’m handing you over to the cartel tomorrow. In less than twenty-four hours, you’ll be their property.”
Her brown eyes shimmered and her lips fell open. The truth cut deep. “Why?”
“Because if I don’t, I’m a dead man. If I hand you over, I can make a deal. You’re the only leverage I’ve got.”
“You don’t have to do this. I can help you.”
“Not with this.”
She reached for him, but he held her back. “Talk to me. Tell me why I’m so important. Maybe I can help.”
He let her go and staggered back. “I can’t.”
Her voice turned shrill. “If you’re handing me over, then what does it matter? I deserve to know why. Please, Damien.”
Fuck . He never should have told her his name. Mia Davenport was solidly under his skin. She wormed her way in sometime between trying to escape and letting him come inside her.
He could see the goodness in her. It sparkled like a crown woven through her hair. And he was sending her straight to the devil.
Damien had done some horrible things. After Melanie, whatever the cartel told him to do, he did it. What did it matter? Everything good in the world was gone.
Because of him.
He rubbed a hand over his buzzed hair. He was in so deep, he could never get out. Unless he gave Marcelo something he wanted more. A witness. A hot new piece he could sell to the highest bidder.
Mia was a tool. Nothing more.
He looked her in the eye. “Has there ever been someone you cared about so much that when they were gone, you wanted to die?”
Mia stared at him, the color draining from her cheeks as the seconds ticked by. At last, she answered. “No.”
“Anyone you ever loved more than life itself?”
“No.”
“Not once?” He looked her up and down. A pretty girl like her? No high school sweetheart or college boyfriend? He might have grown up on the streets, but he knew how the rich lived.
Someone out there had to care about this woman sitting in front of him. She was kind and passionate. Determined and full of life.
She shrank down on the bed, all at once so small and vulnerable. “Guess I’ve never mattered much to anyone.”
Shit . He fought down every instinct screaming at him to hold her. “I’m sorry, Mia.”
“I don’t need your pity.” She crossed her arms over the sheet. “You’re a murderer for God sakes.”
“Yeah, I am.”
“If you hand me over, you really think you’ll get whatever it is you’re after?”
“I don’t have a choice. It’s my only option.”
She wiped at her left eye. “You’re even more naïve than I am. If everything you’ve said about the cartel is true, they’ll never give you what you want. You’ll never feel whole.”
Damien clenched his fists. “You’re right, I won’t. But at least I’ll know the truth. I’ll know it wasn’t my fault.” He turned to the dresser and grabbed her clothes. They landed on the bed with a soft thud. “Get dressed. I’ve got to meet someone.”
“What are you doing with me?”
“Making sure you don’t leave.”
----
D amien strode out of the house and pulled his hood over his head. Meeting with JJ was a major risk. One that could get him killed. But he needed to know what he’d be walking into the next night.
Mia’s words kept repeating inside his head. If he handed her over, would Marcelo give him what he wanted? Would he tell him the truth and let him walk away?
He thought about her gentle touch. The way she curled up against his chest in the night like she needed him. It had been years since he’d held someone else like that.
Those nights
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